Two Indians have been sentenced to 17 months in prison by a federal court for their roles in smuggling foreign nationals into the US, the department of justice said.
Harshad Mehta, 67, and Nilesh Kumar Patel, 42, were sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to illegally transport foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, said William E Fitzpatrick, acting US attorney.
They had pleaded guilty to the charges in January.
Patel and Mehta admitted that from June 2013 through October 2015, they conspired to make money by recruiting Indian nationals to enter and reside in the US illegally, as per the documents filed in this case and statements made in court.
On July 24, 2014, they admitted that they brought two Indian nationals to Bangkok, so that they could be transported into the US.
They also admitted paying an individual, who was an undercover officer, to transport the foreign nationals from Thailand into Newark.
The two have also been sentenced to three years of supervised release. Judge Martini imposed the sentences yesterday in Newark federal court.
